Sacred Heart University in Fairfield will launch a new master of public administration (MPA) program in fall 2018 through its Department of Government, Politics and Global Studies.
“The master of public administration is a professional degree that will prepare individuals for careers in the public sector, government agencies, human service organizations and nonprofits,” said Lesley A. DeNardis, director of the program.
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— an announcement from Sacred Heart University
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Students may concentrate in either nonprofit management or emergency management, both of which project significant job growth. A third option allows student to pursue a self-designed concentration tailored to their professional needs and interests.
Courses will provide students with the professional and technical skills necessary for 21st-century leadership roles in governance. Proficiencies include analyzing data, harnessing information technology and communicating strategically.
Sacred Heart is committed to providing students with valuable, hands-on experience and, accordingly, MPA students will be placed with nonprofit and government organizations in the area as part of their course of study.
“The MPA program aligns with SHU’s mission by developing ethical and dynamic leaders who are responsive to their social and civic obligations,” said DeNardis. As the daughter of a public servant, DeNardis holds this concept close to her heart — she has served Hamden’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Legislative Council and Board of Education.
She states that her academic and professional pursuits have centered on “the core belief that greater efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector can solve common problems and enhance the quality of life for members of the community.”
Having taught in MPA programs at various higher education institutions, DeNardis is enthusiastic about educating and commissioning more problem-solvers into the world.
“I still firmly believe that, despite the current discord and strife in government and politics, now more than ever we need graduates who have a desire to foster the betterment of society through public service,” she said.
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree and minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited college or university may apply to this 36-credit program that can be completed in one year, full-time, or two years, part-time.
To learn more about the MPA program, email DeNardis at denardisl@sacredheart.edu.
About Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University, the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, offers more than 70 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its main campus in Fairfield, Conn., and satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland.
More than 8,500 students attend the University’s five colleges: Arts & Sciences; Health Professions; Nursing; the Jack Welch College of Business; and the Isabelle Farrington College of Education.
The Princeton Review includes SHU in its guides Best 381 Colleges–2017 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 294 Business Schools–2017 Edition. U.S.News & World Report ranks SHU among the best master’s universities in the North in its “Best Colleges 2017” publication.
The Chronicle of Higher Education also names SHU one of the fastest-growing Roman Catholic universities in its 2016 almanac. Sacred Heart fields 32 Division I athletic teams and has an award-winning program of community service. www.sacredheart.edu